The Women’s Big Bash League 2025-26, or WBBL 11, got underway and has already made the limelight for controversies. In the recent Perth Scorchers vs. Sydney Sixers game, captains Sophie Devine and Ashleigh Gardner were involved in a dubious dismissal.

Devine was batting on three as she danced down the track against Gardner, hoping to go big against the off-spinner, after coming in to bat at number four in the first innings. Gardner pulled the length back forcefully, missing it completely, and looked back to see the bails loosened, which resulted in Devine being beaten.

But because wicketkeeper Emma Manix-Geeves had not received the ball cleanly and had watched it ricochet off her gloves onto the stumps, the dismissal was a little dubious. Knowing that her wicketkeeper had been lucky, Gardner responded with a sardonic smile as the bails took a half-second to fall.

Confusion was created when replays showed that the ball and Manix-Geeves’ gloves both seemed to make contact with the stumps, with the angle used not quite making clear which was first.

The misunderstanding caused Devine to stand her ground and answer with a sneaky smirk, refusing to go off despite the third umpire's decision.

However, after more replays, it became evident that the ball had undoubtedly made contact with the stumps, causing the bail to just fall over, but the wicketkeeper may have successfully avoided contact with the stumps entirely.

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